England’s North East accelerates 5G innovation

The UK’s 5G Innovation Region (5GIR) programme, in the North East of England, has secured an extra £1.9 million in funding along with a 12-month extension to further scale the deployment of 5G technology across critical sectors.

Led by Sunderland City Council and backed by the North East Combined Authority (NECA) and regional partners, the funding builds on the initial £3.7 million awarded in late 2023 and forms part of a national initiative by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

The extended investment will accelerate real-world 5G applications in intelligent transport systems, public safety, creative industries, and agritech–key areas supporting local government priorities.

“This funding allows us to move from pilots to place-based transformation,” Liz St Louis, Director of Smart Cities at Sunderland City Council told Cities Today. “We’re embedding 5G where it delivers the greatest public value–whether improving traffic flows, enabling safer events, or supporting the creative economy.”

The programme has already delivered measurable improvements in smarter port operations, connected transport networks linking industrial hubs such as the Nissan plant and the Port of Tyne, immersive 5G-powered content production, and enhanced public safety through advanced CCTV at large-scale events in Sunderland and Newcastle.

“The additional £1.9 million of funding supports North East local government priorities by supporting the regional logistics economy by improving efficiency, productivity and safety at regional ports; improving efficiency in the regional manufacturing sector–in particular helping to secure automotive sector’s future in the North East; providing the core funding to showcase the region’s creative sector, acting as a boost to the regional creative and leisure economy, and as a major attractor for tourism and investment,” she explained.

The programme and additional funding will also advance carbon emissions reduction in the North East’s agricultural and transport sectors. Lessons from the first phase have refined the programme’s approach, with a focus on scalability and real-world integration.

“Deploying 5G in transport and port environments isn’t plug-and-play,” St Louis added. “It requires extensive hands-on integration and testing in live operational settings. Success depends on collaborating with OEMs and logistics partners early.”

The programme will continue expanding 5G infrastructure to support further innovation across public services and economic sectors.

Recently honoured with the Place-Based Impact Award at the Future Networks Awards, the North East 5G Innovation Region highlights a civic-led approach to digital transformation that is gaining recognition among city leaders across the UK.

Image: Sunderland City Council